Id love it if Port Vale was the start of something special for Sunderland again because I think this is a very interesting time for the club, he said.

Port Vale trip is perfect time for Sunderland to test Nelson and Mbunga-Kimpioka

Ask any manager and they will probably say that they would want a cup run – it generates money and that helps the budget and obviously it means you keep winning matches as well.

I have seen Luton and I liked them, and Blackpool looked decent, but Sunderland are the strongest side Ive seen in this division.

I can see why Sunderland are doing well – Chris Maguire and Josh Maja make things happen, and they are good going forward, they also have a solid back line, and I like the goalkeeper.

There is a good attitude as well and that is very important. Sometimes teams with good attitudes can maybe not play too well, but they can still grind out results.

Of course, when you are winning games it helps build a good team spirit and the opposite is also true; when you are not winning games, everything becomes harder.

But when the team spirit is good, you can sometimes go on runs even when you are not playing well, and think to yourself How the hell did we win that?

Crosby features in a new unique book bringing together the thoughts and reflections of six Sunderland managers spanning almost 40 years.

And he is looking forward to visiting Sunderland next Friday where hell join Peter Reid as special guests at the launch of new book, Tales From the Red and Whites 3: The Managers

Gareth Ainsworth will be a pundit on BT Sport's live coverage of the Emirates FA Cup first round tie between Port Vale and Sunderland on Sunday afternoon.

The Chairboys boss will be returning to the ground where he was a Vale hero in a two-year spell in his playing days, while hell also have the opportunity to cast a close eye over the Blues next Sky Bet League 1 opponents – Sunderland – who they face the following weekend.The BT Sport broadcast runs from 2.15pm to 4.45pm.